St. Jude Children's Hospital Next 50

A view of what St. Jude Children's Hospital has accomplished in the last 50 years and a look at what is to come in the next 50 years. Profiles of three patients.

Oct. 5, 2012 - Austin Otey, 18, has been diagnosed with a Medulloblastoma brain tumor. Having cancer has weighed heavily on the teenager; he says he has good days and bad days and that he knows he can't give up. These types of tumors account for about 20 percent of childhood brain tumors. Scientists are trying to understand the genetic changes in the tumor cells that make them become cancerous. He comes to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in downtown Memphis for treatments from his home in Bloomington, Illinois. (Karen Pulfer Focht/ The Commercial Appeal)

Oct. 5, 2012 - Austin Otey, 18, flew home immediately following his radiation treatments at St. Jude Children's Hospital, so that he could be crowned the Homecoming King in his home town of Bloomington, Illinois. (Courtesy of The Pantagraph)

October 5, 2012 - Austin Otey is prepared for his radiation therapy by St. Jude radiation therapists Chance Taylor and Hanna Durbin, before catching a plane to go home and be crowned Homecoming King at his high school. Radiation therapy, used alone or in combination with surgery and chemotherapy, remains an integral component in the successful management and treatment of pediatric tumors. (Karen Pulfer Focht/ The Commercial Appeal)

Oct. 10, 2012 - Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia cell; taken at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in downtown Memphis. ALL is a cancer of the white blood cells. In this image, the blue represents the nucleus (DNA) of the leukemia cell, and the red and green dots represent genes. The yellow represents the fusion of the two genes creating a new gene. The disruption of one of these genes has a key role in the development of leukemia. (Courtesy of St. Jude Children's Hospital)

Oct. 10, 2012 - Medulloblastoma cell; taken at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in downtown Memphis. Medulloblastomas are tumors that arise in the posterior fossa region of the brain and account for about 20 percent of childhood brain tumors. Scientists are trying to understand the genetic changes in the tumor cells that make them become cancerous. It is anticipated that some of the genetic characteristics will help identify which tumors require more or less aggressive therapy. In this image of a childÕs brain, the cancer is marked in pink. (Courtesy of St. Jude Children's Hospital)

Oct. 10, 2012 - Sickle Cell Disease; taken at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in downtown Memphis. Sickle cell disease is a genetic blood disorder that affects the hemoglobin within the red blood cells. People with sickle cell disease have hemoglobin S (also called sickle hemoglobin) in their red blood cells. Under certain circumstances, hemoglobin S causes the blood cells to become hard and form a sickle (or banana) shape. This can block small blood vessels causing complications such as, pain, organ damage or stroke. (Courtesy of St. Jude Children's Hospital)

October 4, 2012 - Mason Miller,6, must come to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital from his home in Mississippi once a week to be treated for Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia . When he comes he stays in the Memphis Grizzlies House, where he and his mom and brother can walk to the hospital. The treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), the most common childhood cancer, is a modern medicine success story. When the hospital opened in 1962, only 4 percent of children with the disease would live.Today, the cure rate is 90 percent. (Karen Pulfer Focht/ The Commercial Appeal)

September 20, 2012 - Mason Miller,6, must come to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital from his home in Mississippi once a week to be treated for Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia . Some weeks Mason feels fine following his chemo therapy, other times he is in severe pain. His mother, Cindy, says that even though the doctors tell her to stay clear of his bodily fluids following Chemo, that she is going to "kiss away his tears" if she needs to. (Karen Pulfer Focht/ The Commercial Appeal)

September 20, 2012 - There are 3,000 cases of ALL in the United States. Mason Miller,6, must come to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital from his home in Amory, Mississippi once a week to be treated for Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia . He has to go through 120 weeks of Chemo therapy treatments. His mother, Cindy, says that even though the doctors tell her to stay clear of his bodily fluids following Chemo, that she is going to "kiss away his tears" if she needs to. (Karen Pulfer Focht/ The Commercial Appeal)

October 2, 2012 - Amanda Talley,15, waits by herself to see doctors for the first time without her mother. She is being transitioned out of pediatric care and learning to understand her illness so that she can learn to care for herself. She has been treated at St Jude Children's Hospital for Sickle Cell Disease since 2004. (Karen Pulfer Focht/ The Commercial Appeal)

October 2, 2012 - Amanda Talley,15, is taught by educator LaTacha Hamilton (rt) that she needs to tell people when she is having problems. She is being taught about her Sickle Cell Disease and how to care for herself as she gets transitioned to adult care. She has been treated at St Jude Children's Hospital for Sickle Cell Disease since 2004. (Karen Pulfer Focht/ The Commercial Appeal)

October 2, 2012 - Amanda Talley,15, is taught by St. Jude educator Audrey Cole about red blood counts, her medicine dosage and other things pertinent to her self care. She learns about her Sickle Cell Disease and how to care for herself as she gets transitioned to adult care. She has been treated at St Jude Children's Hospital for Sickle Cell Disease since 2004. (Karen Pulfer Focht/ The Commercial Appeal)

October 2, 2012 - Amanda Talley,15, talks to Physician Assistant, Paul LaVoie about her disease. He works with her, adjusting her dosage and finding creative ways to remind herself to take her medicine, including text messages. She is learning to understand her Sickle Cell Disease and how to care for herself as she gets transitioned into adult care. She has been treated at St Jude Children's Hospital for Sickle Cell Disease since 2004. (Karen Pulfer Focht/ The Commercial Appeal)

Oct. 5, 2012 - Austin Otey, 18, has been diagnosed with a Medulloblastoma brain tumor. He is getting some physical therapy from Brian DeFeo at St. Jude. These types of tumors account for about 20 percent of childhood brain tumors. Scientists are trying to understand the genetic changes in the tumor cells that make them become cancerous. He comes to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in downtown Memphis for treatments from his home in Bloomington, Illinois. (Karen Pulfer Focht/ The Commercial Appeal)

October 4, 2012 - Mason Miller,6, must come to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital from his home in Mississippi once a week to be treated for Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia . He was seen recently by Dr. Ching-Hon Pui, M.D., chair of the St. Jude Department of Oncology (right) on a recent visit. His mother Cindy is at left. The treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), the most common childhood cancer, is a modern medicine success story. When the hospital opened in 1962, only 4 percent of children with the disease would live.Today, the cure rate is 90 percent. (Karen Pulfer Focht/ The Commercial Appeal)

October 4, 2012 - Mason Miller,6, must come to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital from his home in Mississippi once a week to be treated for Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia . He was seen recently by Dr. Ching-Hon Pui, M.D., chair of the St. Jude Department of Oncology (right) on a recent visit. His mother Cindy is center. The treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), the most common childhood cancer, is a modern medicine success story. When the hospital opened in 1962, only 4 percent of children with the disease would live.Today, the cure rate is 90 percent. (Karen Pulfer Focht/ The Commercial Appeal)

Oct. 2, 2012 - Kip Guy, Ph.D., chair of the St. Jude Chemical Biology and Therapeutics department has spent his lifetime finding cancer cures. Patience is a big part of the job, he may not see the results of his work for 15 years. He says when he needs inspiration, he goes down stairs to the cafeteria where he comes face to face with many of the children who will reap the benefits of his work. (Karen Pulfer Focht/ The Commercial Appeal)

Oct. 5, 2012 - Radiation therapist Chance Taylor looks for a brain tumor on an X-ray of Austin Otey, 18, who has has been diagnosed with a Medulloblastoma brain tumor. These types of tumors account for about 20 percent of childhood brain tumors. Scientists are trying to understand the genetic changes in the tumor cells that make them become cancerous. He comes to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in downtown Memphis for treatments from his home in Bloomington, Illinois. (Karen Pulfer Focht/ The Commercial Appeal)

October 5, 2012- Austin Otey, 18, (rt) has been diagnosed with a Medulloblastoma brain tumor. He looks over a photo of he and his girlfriend, on his IPAD, while waiting for doctors to come see him. (Karen Pulfer Focht/ The Commercial Appeal)

Oct. 5, 2012 - Austin Otey, 18, flew home immediately following his radiation treatments at St. Jude Children's Hospital, so that he could be crowned the Homecoming King in his home town of Bloomington, Illinois. (Courtesy of The Pantagraph)